The river '''Lhûn''' or '''[[Lune]]''' was a river of north-western [[Eriador]].

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{{location

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| image=[[Image:Lhun.jpg|250px]]

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| name=Lhûn

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| type=River

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| location=Western [[Eriador]], east of the [[Ered Luin]]

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| inhabitants=

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| realms=[[Arnor]], [[Lindon]]

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| description=A great river in northwest Middle-Earth

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| othernames=Lune

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| etymology=See below

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| events=

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| references=

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|}}

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The river '''Lhûn''' ([[Sindarin|S]], pron. {{IPA|[ˈɬuːːn]}}) or [[Westron]]ized '''Lune''' was a river of north-western [[Eriador]]. It gave its name to the [[Gulf of Lune]] and the [[Ered Luin|Mountains of Lune]].

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In the [[Second Age|Second]] and [[Third Age]], it emptied into the [[Gulf of Lune]] that broke through the [[Ered Luin]] and thence into [[Belegaer]].

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==History==

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Of old, the Lhûn had been a line of defense: first against Sauron, and later against the [[Witch-king]].

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It had three (unnamed) tributaries: two of them arising in the Ered Luin, and one beginning in the [[Hills of Evendim]] north of the later capital of [[Arnor]], [[Annúminas]]. It was not connected to [[Lake Nenuial]], the origin of the [[Baranduin]] (Brandywine) river.

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Following the forging of [[the One Ring]] and the [[Sack of Eregion]], [[Sauron]] ruled most of Eriador. [[Gil-galad]] and [[Elendil]] were desperately protecting the [[Grey Havens]], and managed to hold the Lhûn.<ref>{{HM|UT}}, "[[The History of Galadriel and Celeborn]]", "Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn"</ref>

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In the [[First Age]], the course of the river is not known. The Gulf of Lune was not created until the [[War of Wrath]] so the river must have had a different lower course. Possibly it connected with the Baranduin further south.

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In the [[Third Age]], the Lhûn formed the border between [[Mithlond]] and [[Arnor]].<ref>{{HM|AA}}, "Eriador, Arnor and the Heirs of Isildur"</ref> During the [[Angmar War|War with Angmar]], it formed the end of the [[Witch-king]]'s influence: many of the Dúnedain fled across it. When [[Eärnil II]] came, passage was won back over it. With their defeat imminent, many of the Witch-king's minions drowned in the river Lhûn.<ref>{{HM|AA}}, "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion"</ref>

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==Course==

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The river Lhûn found its origin in the [[First Age]] or before, but following the [[War of Wrath]], its course was severely altered. Its original course is no longer recorded in history, but after the breaking of the Blue Mountains, it flowed in the [[Gulf of Lhûn]].<ref>{{HM|S}}, "[[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]"</ref> The river had its origin in the north of the Blue Mountains, and had two tributaries: the [[Little Lune]] and an unnamed river that had its origin in the [[Emyn Uial]].

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==Etymology==

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The meaning of ''Lhûn'' is not known. In connection with its first appearance, in a manuscript dating from ca. 1940, the translation "Blue River" is given.<ref>{{HM|TI}}, "VI. The Council of Elrond (1): The Third Version, (iii)", p. 124</ref><ref name=VT48a5>{{VT|48a5}}</ref> Apparently, Tolkien originally envisioned it as [[Noldorin]] for "blue" (cf. [[Sindarin]] ''[[luin]]'').<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}} (entry for LUG<sup>2</sup>-)</ref> ''Lhûn'', and especially the initial ''/lh/'', may have been valid in Noldorin, it was not so in [[Sindarin]], so Tolkien had to rewrite the etymology. He considered the following:<ref name=VT48a5/><ref>{{PE|17}}, pp. 136-7</ref>

In the Third Age, the Lhûn formed the border between Mithlond and Arnor.[2] During the War with Angmar, it formed the end of the Witch-king's influence: many of the Dúnedain fled across it. When Eärnil II came, passage was won back over it. With their defeat imminent, many of the Witch-king's minions drowned in the river Lhûn.[3]

Course

The river Lhûn found its origin in the First Age or before, but following the War of Wrath, its course was severely altered. Its original course is no longer recorded in history, but after the breaking of the Blue Mountains, it flowed in the Gulf of Lhûn.[4] The river had its origin in the north of the Blue Mountains, and had two tributaries: the Little Lune and an unnamed river that had its origin in the Emyn Uial.

Etymology

The meaning of Lhûn is not known. In connection with its first appearance, in a manuscript dating from ca. 1940, the translation "Blue River" is given.[5][6] Apparently, Tolkien originally envisioned it as Noldorin for "blue" (cf. Sindarinluin).[7]Lhûn, and especially the initial /lh/, may have been valid in Noldorin, it was not so in Sindarin, so Tolkien had to rewrite the etymology. He considered the following:[6][8]